‘Congress has sole power to decide mode for Cha-Cha’

Senate President Pro Tempore Franklin Drilon yesterday reminded that Congress has the sole power to determine the mode of amending the 1987 Constitution and not the President.

“The mode of amending the Constitution, whether by Constitutional (Con-Ass) Assembly or Constitutional Convention (Con-Con), is the sole prerogative of Congress,” Drilon underscored in a statement.

Drilon has earlier filed Resolution of Both Houses No. 1, which calls for a Con-con as the mode to use in revising the Constitution. The filing of the resolution was done in response to President Duterte’s advocacy for a shift to federalism. Duterte initially preferred tinkering the provisions of the Constitution through Con-con but had changed his mind and now prefers Con-ass, to avoid the projected high cost.

The senator is the chairman of Senate committee on constitutional amendments and revision of codes and laws that will hear all measures calling for the amendment of the Constitution. (Hannah Torregoza)